A Korean oil tanker passed through the Red Sea, the ‘bypass route’, for the first time since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said on the 17th that a Korean vessel that loaded crude oil at Yanbu Port in Saudi Arabia safely exited the Red Sea that day.

This is the first case of transporting crude to the country via the Red Sea as a bypass route since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The Red Sea is a base of operations for the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who are supported by Iran, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is advising against sailing there due to the risk of attack.

The vessel that came through the Red Sea this time is a very large crude carrier (VLCC), which typically can carry about 2 million barrels of crude.

On the 6th, the government discussed, at a Cabinet meeting and elsewhere, measures to secure crude oil supplies via the Red Sea, a bypass route around the Strait of Hormuz.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries explained that while the vessel was sailing the Red Sea, it supported the safety of the crew and ship by providing 24-hour real-time monitoring, navigational safety information, and operating a real-time communication channel between the ministry, the vessel, and the shipping company.

However, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said it cannot disclose the vessel name, time of entry, port of entry, and other details in order to manage safety and ensure smooth future transit of the Red Sea.

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Hwang Jong-Woo said, “Going forward, while taking into account the safety of our ships and seafarers, we will do our utmost, through cooperation with relevant agencies and industry, to ensure that domestic transport of crude via our ships from the Middle East proceeds without disruption.”